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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27852762">Welcome Back, Renegade</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemyxDancer/pseuds/DemyxDancer'>DemyxDancer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Gen, Homeworld is Horrible, Missing Scene, Pearl Solidarity (Steven Universe)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:28:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,107</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27852762</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemyxDancer/pseuds/DemyxDancer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Returning to Homeworld after thousands of years is easier than Pearl thought it would be. That's what frightens her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Welcome Back, Renegade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I never write about Pearl even though she's one of my favorites. So here's some Pearl.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Welcome back.”</p><p>Blue Pearl’s voice was quiet enough that it could barely be heard. Quiet, demure, and delicate, she had always been a model Pearl in a way that Pearl never felt she could match, back when she had cared about such things.</p><p>“Thanks,” said Pearl, watching Steven disappear up the stairs. She knew intellectually that Blue Diamond was not going to hurt him -- but the knot in her chest tightened all the same.</p><p>After all these years, here she was, standing alongside another Pearl as they waited for their respective owners to complete their private meeting. Unlike most of the rest of Homeworld, Blue Diamond’s chamber hadn’t changed a bit, and it wasn’t hard to imagine that no time had passed at all, like rebellion and exile had all been a dream.</p><p>“How was it?” said Blue Pearl, shaking Pearl from her thoughts. “How was the Earth colony?”</p><p>“It was…” How could she even begin to describe everything that had happened in five thousand years? The smell of greenery and crunch of leaves underfoot as they walked through forests. The salt spray and wind in her hair as they sailed the ocean. Human cities with their blinding lights and endless noise. </p><p>Rose Quartz, laughing.</p><p>“It was everything I could ever have imagined. More.” She looked at Blue Pearl, wondering if she could possibly understand, even if Pearl knew what to say. “How were things here?”</p><p>“Close to unbearable,” she said, her expression neutral and her tone gentle. “My Diamond has been in mourning this entire time. I thought I would get used to her sadness, but I never did.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“All social events were cancelled. Laws became far more strict, even for Elites. Do you remember Almandine and her Pearl?”</p><p>“Almandine 3FD, you mean? Of course I do.” Almandine, one of the Diamonds’ top advisors, had afforded her Pearl a great deal of autonomy. Almandine’s Pearl had a sharp wit and a great sense of humor, like her owner, which made her a pleasant companion as they waited by the wall during interminable strategy meetings. She had once even gone so far as to call Pearl a friend, even though friendship among Pearls was technically forbidden.</p><p>“When Yellow Diamond proposed making Gems with a quarter of the resources of Era 1 Gems, Almandine called it cruel and refused to carry out the plan. She was convicted of treason and harvested. They tried to resurface her Pearl, but she was deemed unsalvageable and shattered.” Blue Pearl’s face betrayed only the smallest hint of sadness.</p><p>“They shattered her?” Pearl felt sick. </p><p>“Many good Gems and their Pearls were shattered,” she said, matter-of-factly.</p><p>Pearl couldn’t stave off the pangs of guilt. “You must hate me.”</p><p>“I don’t hate you,” said Blue Pearl, shaking her head. “You were carrying out your Diamond’s orders. I would have done the same.”</p><p>“I wasn’t just --” She hadn’t just done it for Rose, she had done it for herself. That’s what she wanted to think, what she would normally say. Blue Pearl, staunchly devoted to her Diamond, would never believe her -- and she wouldn’t exactly be wrong.</p><p>“Almandine’s Pearl was the one who figured out what had happened, actually.”</p><p>“What had happened?”</p><p>“That you were the Renegade Pearl.”</p><p>Pearl’s jaw dropped. “You knew?”</p><p>“It was obvious once she pointed it out. No one could have gotten close to Pink without getting through you. They didn’t find you poofed or shattered, so you must have been involved somehow.”</p><p>“You knew and you kept it secret all this time?”</p><p>“I didn’t keep it secret.”</p><p>“If you didn’t keep it secret, why didn’t the Diamonds know?”</p><p>“I didn’t have to keep it secret because they never asked. Pearls aren’t meant to provide their opinions on crime scenes.” There was the faintest hint of a smug smile on Blue Pearl’s face.</p><p>Pearl laughed. “I suppose not.” </p><p>“I like your new form, by the way. The sash suits you.”</p><p>“Thanks,” said Pearl. “You, uh. Still look fine.” Blue Pearl was, of course, wearing the same dress she had worn thousands of years ago. On Homeworld, Gems weren’t permitted to make more than the tiniest of adjustments to their forms when regenerating. Deviating from their uniforms -- or, in the case of a Pearl, deviating from the outfits their owners had chosen for them -- would result in a swift re-poofing. Some Gems changed their Pearls’ outfits frequently, but Blue Diamond was very much a traditionalist.</p><p>“Thanks.” Blue Pearl smoothed down her skirt. </p><p>Pearl wanted to say more. She wanted to say that she hadn’t deserved five thousand years of misery and mourning. She wanted to say that Pink’s intention had never been to make Homeworld worse. She even wanted to apologize, even though she knew she’d do it all again if she had the choice.</p><p>It was Blue Pearl who broke the silence. “Is your Diamond truly the same? Now that she is a Steven.”</p><p>Pearl thought about correcting her terminology, but decided not to. “No. Steven’s very different, and not just because he’s a hybrid. You’ll see once you get to know him.”</p><p>“Do you miss her, then?”</p><p>Pearl swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. “Every day.”</p><p>Blue Pearl nodded. She had known how close Pearl and Pink were. She surely understood.</p><p>There was a soft, barely perceptible buzzing. Blue Pearl produced a screen, seemingly from thin air. “Oh, stars. My Diamond has another appointment. I’ll have to go fetch her.” She bounced lightly up the stairs.</p><p>Pearl wiped away the tears that had somehow formed at the corners of her eyes. She looked up at one of the statues lining the walls, who looked away as soon as she realized she was being observed.</p><p>Steven was trying to get through to White. It was impossible. She had never seen <em>anyone</em> change White’s mind, on any topic. And if he failed, where did that leave them? Would they have to stay on Homeworld and keep trying? Could they even safely leave, without jeopardizing the Earth?</p><p>If she and Steven stayed here, what would become of them? Would he be their Pink Diamond? Would she be his Pearl? As much as she would like to reassure herself that she’d never slip into that role again, here she was, standing at the bottom of Blue Diamond’s chamber, waiting quietly for her Diamond to finish his business. It would be far too easy. The thought of gradually reverting back into property was too much to bear.</p><p>If anyone could do the impossible, it was Steven. That was what she had to believe. She hoped it was enough. She hoped she was enough.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Maybe sometime I'll tackle that fic about Pearl and Lapis reconciling.</p><p>Or, you know, finally finish the next chapter of Professionals. That'd be good, too.</p><p>Thanks for reading this story about Pearls.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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